Huronia West OPP received a call at 7:45 p.m. on Sunday August 28th, 2022 from a pair of 18-year-old kayakers that had become lost in the Minesing swamp and needed assistance.
The OPP Emergency Response Team (ERT) members attended and with the assistance of the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) out of Trenton, a Griffon helicopter was dispatched to aide in their rescue.
The pair had left Willow Creek in their tandem kayak four hours prior with the intention of travelling the Nottawasaga River with their destination being Edenvale Conservation Centre. As they travelled the river and entered the area of the Minesing swamp, it became too narrow to maneuver their vessel any further. Unable to get turned around or get to solid ground, the pair called police for assistance. Just before midnight the pair were extracted by helicopter to a nearby airport, and one party was transported to hospital as a precaution.
The OPP would like to remind everyone that it is their responsibility to make sure they are prepared when travelling into remote areas and to appropriately manage any risks associated with these recreational activities.
Search and rescue operations can be complex, expensive and time consuming and involve multiple agencies who, themselves are put at risk. Our best advice is to avoid putting yourself in potentially dangerous circumstances in the first place and to properly plan for contingencies, be prepared for worst-case scenarios, and take along appropriate equipment/clothing.
Last night, a CH-146 Griffon from @RCAF_ARC 424 Sqn assisted @OPP_CR by aiding two kayakers stranded in a swamp near Wasaga beach via hoist. The individuals were flown to Lake Simcoe airport in good condition. @CFOperations pic.twitter.com/LcS5TZ1Ur9
— Trenton JRCC CCCOS (@JRCCTrentCCCOS) August 29, 2022
